Thank you for the conversation.... & I will check out the link you sent in a moment - thank you, gregkavarnos... I would just like to explain my situation - i did have a teacher with whom I emailed for a few years, they suggested books for me to read and practices I might work with, gave suggestion...

It means that to qualify as a lama first you have to do a minimum three year and three months and three weeksand three days closed retreat followed by a period of years (as many as the teacher deems necessary) where you are an apprentice to a qualified lama. I would think that anyone who went throu...

From what little I have read of the subject, Theravada (not Hinayana, which disappeared) and Mahayana share the same foundational body and bloodline. It can be argued that both Theravada and Mahayana have attributes of embellishment and variable authenticity. I like what Ven. Bodhi has to say, that...

Is there a certificate or a rite of passage one goes through to be a spiritual adult. What certificates do your teachers have? No certificates are isued, people need to graduate through the goenka tradition. You need to sit a certain number of 10 day courses before you can sit a longer course, you ...

Who do you need to convince? Let me add to this as it has been pointed out to me that this cab be read as offensive. Who are you building a case against, or for? Why do you feel mahayana needs convincing? What area in particular are you concerned about? I wouldn't think it needs any convincing, ple...

The mind is used to flitting off like this, it is normal. When you notice it has lost its awareness on the desired object, just keep bringing it back. With this practice you will strengthen your concentration.
The half hour time frame will gradually decrease with practice.

Who do you need to convince? Let me add to this as it has been pointed out to me that this cab be read as offensive. I'm not sure what you mean here; it sounds like you're criticizing yourself, which is probably not what you mean. What do you mean by "cab" here? Please help us understand you. Who a...

Who do you need to convince? Let me add to this as it has been pointed out to me that this cab be read as offensive. Who are you building a case against, or for? Why do you feel mahayana needs convincing? What area in particular are you concerned about? I wouldn't think it needs any convincing, ple...

Another question for those who have attended, since Goenka claims to not be teaching "religion", what exactly is the context of what is taught? sila samadhi panna The one person who I have talked to in person that gave an unusual response about the experience seemed to be under the impression that ...

...it can not be expressed by mere sounds, can a sound or a few typed words define and explain Greg K... So teachings are useless? The Sutras, Sutta, Shastras and Tantras play no role? :namaste: They are mere pointers towards the truth, and must be seen in this context, same as a guru. A guru or a ...

Wisdom is not being kept secret from anybody, delusion posing as wisdom is. It's a matter of shielding people, with the spiritual maturity of a 3 year old, from the posers and keeping the spiritual matches away from the kids. :namaste: wisdom must be experienced for oneself, it can not be expressed...

deepbluehum, "the lineage gurus can awaken kundalini and no one else" You're possibly being too narrow, the rising of the kundalini is mysterious. I read an interesting account by Lucia Osborne apparently she was packing in readiness to escape the worst effects of the summer heat in South India whe...

Hi Lotus_Bitch, consciousness is the present moment, I am consciousness, consciousness is space, it is always the present moment, present moment can not die and is eternal. sense consciousness is impermanent as described in the sutta you provided, conscious consciousness (formless consciousness)is e...

I don't know about you, but I have a degree of trust in my teachers, and their teachers, and their teachers teachers... :namaste: No you don't, that is called blind faith. If your trust is real it comes from the dharma you have experienced through practice. Your practice has given you faith in your...